I packed this Harvest Quinoa Salad up in little Chinese takeout containers for Scott in the field a few days ago. Some like it hot, some like it cold! I think it’s best served warm or room temperature.

You will need:

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed

• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth

• 1 medium butternut squash

• 2-3 polish sausage links

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 2 TBS maple syrup

• 1-2 TBS apple cider vineagar

• 1 grated garlic clove

• 1 TBS Dijon mustard

• Salt and pepper to taste

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries

• 1/3 cup roasted, salted pepitas

Cube butternut squash on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Add whole polish sausage to baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 375 until squash is tender and sausage is cooked.

Boil chicken broth and add quinoa. Cover and let simmer on low until all the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

When slightly cooled, chop the sausage into bite size pieces. In a large mixing bowl combine the quinoa with the squash and sausage.

Mix the olive oil, vinegar, syrup, mustard, garlic clove, and salt and pepper in a small separate bowl, (or a big mixing cup like I do!) and drizzle over the salad. If serving right away, you may not use all of the dressing, the longer it sits, the more it absorbs, so you may want to add a little more later on!

For fall perfection, add in the cranberries and pepitas, and you’ve got a perfect, hearty fall salad!

I think this would also taste great with some grilled chicken or some crumbled bacon, yum!